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IV: Echoes
Xena Since Drake insisted on me going first, I did just that. I decided to start at the time of my life when I met Des. I went into great detail about how Des saved me from my maniacal ex-boyfriend, Aaron. It wasn’t something I liked to remember, but I also couldn’t let myself forget. Then, I told him about how a few years later, when Des introduced me to the other K.R.E.W. members, Ava and Yun. I told him about all the great times we had in our mission together. I almost started crying when I talked about their deaths. Drake listened very attentively. “Xena, I’m so sorry about all of your friends. I want you to know, I think they were all very brave. I don’t even know if I would risk my life for the world,” he said quietly. It was a nice thing for him to say. I could tell that he was trying his best to be sincere. “Thanks Drake, it means a lot to hear that. Sometimes, I still have dreams about them,” I replied. “Really? Do you mind if I ask what usually happens in them?” I felt a pain in my heart. I wasn’t ready to tell anyone just yet. “I’m sorry, I can’t,” I said regretfully. “Don’t be. I shouldn’t have asked,” he said quickly. We sat in silence for some time, looking at each other’s eyes. Again, I drifted into deep thought. What did he have to hide behind those shiny blue eyes of his? Did he have any dark secrets, or is he just lonely? Drake I didn’t realize Xena had so much baggage to carry. I would never want to deal with the pain of a lost friend or family member. She must be a truly strong woman to be where she is now. I’m nothing short of impressed. In a way, I’m glad I could see her true eye color. I like the fiery look of her orange eyes. They’re bright, but peaceful. I took a deep breath, and I began to tell her about my own history. “Well Xena, now it’s my turn,” I said. She nodded. “So as you know, I’m Drake Stone, and my little brother is Marc. Our ancestors are from Germany. He’s the only family I have left at the moment,” I sighed. Xena looked concerned. “What happened to the others Drake?” I looked down. “They were all killed by robots during the war. I was 18 at the time. The robots executed my parents.” Xena gasped. I continued. “That just left Marc, me, and my older sister, Violet. The robots chased us for miles, and they were gaining on us. At some point, Violet told Marc and me to keep running, and not to look back. Then, she turned and ran a different direction. The robots followed her. That was the last time I saw her.” “Do you think she could be alive?” Xena asked sheepishly. I shook my head. “Those metal bastards were relentless. I doubt they would just let her go peacefully.” Xena opened her mouth to reply, but I started to speak before she could begin. “If I had just been a real man that day, maybe my sister would still be alive. I wasn’t strong enough to protect her. But no matter what, I’ll make sure that nothing happens to Marc.” “Drake, you shouldn’t blame yourself for your sister’s death. There was nothing you could do,” Xena said warmly. She was right. There was nothing I could do. That didn’t make me feel any better though. Before I knew it, tears starting rolling down my face. I quickly wiped them off. I couldn’t let Xena see me like this. I stood up and turned around. “Don’t worry about me, I’m fine. Some dust just got in my eye,” I said defiantly. Xena didn’t reply. I heard her moving though, but I couldn’t tell what she was up to. I refused to let her see me cry. I refused to let her see me in such a weak state. Suddenly, I felt her soft embrace around my torso. Shocked, I turned to look at her. She was crying too. “Drake, I know the pain of losing people that mean the world to you. I’ve also blamed myself for not being strong enough. It only makes the pain worse. I know you feel so powerless because you couldn’t prevent Violet’s death, but that situation was too big for you,” she said emotionally. I didn’t know what to say. “Sometimes, I just want to go back to the original K.R.E.W. meeting, and stop myself from ever dragging them into that mission with me, but I can’t. That’s the past, and I have to accept it for what it is. We have to accept it for what it is.” “But Xena, I don’t know if I can. It’s too much for me to bear,” I said with a shaky voice. “You don’t have to bear it alone Drake. I’m here for you. Marc is here for you. I know it may not sound like much, but we are your new family now,” she said. I nudged her off of me after she said that. I didn’t know how to feel. Xena could never replace Violet. No one could. But maybe, having her around would give me the second chance I’ve been dying to get. Maybe, just maybe, she is what I’ve been looking for. She looked confused. “Why did you push me away Drake? Was I violating your personal space?” “No, no, you weren’t. Look, this is just a lot for me to handle in such a short time. I need some time to think, okay?” “Okay. I’m sorry,” she said sadly. “Really, don’t be sorry. You didn’t bother me at all. I just need some space to myself, that’s all.” She didn’t seem convinced. “Drake, I get it. You don’t need to explain anymore.” She walked back to the couch, but before she could lie down again, I ran over and hugged her. I didn’t know what else to do, but I had to show her that I appreciated her. “I thought you said you needed some space,” she said sarcastically. “There’s still plenty of micrometers between us. I can work with that,” I replied. She chuckled, but she tried to hide it immediately. Mission accomplished. “Hey Drake.” “Yeah?” “Thank you for tonight. I haven’t had any new friends to hang out with since 3013. This is nice.” She got back onto the couch, and almost immediately fell asleep. She looked very peaceful. I smiled at her, laid myself down near the couch, and fell asleep. “You’re welcome, Xena,” I whispered. Next time on 13th Redux... Category:Chapters